


Same feeling.

by Ironwingedhawk



Category: Iron Fist (TV), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Defenders (Marvel TV)
Genre: Dom!Colleen, F/M, Father!Ward, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Post-Episode: s02e10 A Duel of Iron, Post-Season/Series 02, Smut, figuring out feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-30 09:10:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18312584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ironwingedhawk/pseuds/Ironwingedhawk
Summary: When Danny returns from China everything goes wrong. Or right?





	Same feeling.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TotemundTabu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TotemundTabu/gifts).



> So, I hope this is okay :D  
> I tried to combine the prompts a little into one fic.

 

Ward stares at the wall of his therapist’s office. He is missing the support Danny gave him back in China. Joy used to give him all the time. As long, as he can think back.

The support from Joy is the past. It will not be the same. Not ever since, she and Davos teamed up. Wanted to hurt Danny.

The support from Danny is back with him in China. Where Ward left him to see the birth of his son. It has been the right call and he hasn’t regretted it since. But now he isn’t willing to go back. 

Bethany and he, they have nothing in common anymore. Ward is glad, she at least let him choose the name as a peace offering. Bethany already has a great new boyfriend. He’s nice and Ward doesn’t know, if that’s something he likes or not. Ward is only allowed to see little Wendell every weekend but he still can’t bring himself to fly back to Danny and leave his son behind.

That doesn’t mean, he doesn’t miss him.If he had the say, he’d like for him to come home but he knows, Danny isn’t done yet.

At least, that was the case, when Ward came back to America. He wishes, he has the possibility to call him but in most regions, Danny is at currently, there is absolutely no service at all.

“Sorry, for being late.”, Ward’s therapist walks in adjusting her glasses, before she sits down on the chair.

“It’s okay.”

“Usually, it’s the other way around.”, she smiles softly and crosses her legs, before she pours Ward some water.

The therapist is pretty expensive but Ward likes her. She is an older lady with long grey hair and an aura that is oozing live experience and charisma. She makes Ward feel calm, maybe it is her chi-

Ward is starting to sound like Danny.

“So what do you want to talk about?”, Mrs. Prescil asks Ward and raises a grey brow during the question.

“I don’t know.”

“How is your son?”

“He is good.”, Ward smiles to himself and stares towards the ground, “He is such a clever boy. I can already tell. And he smiles, whenever he sees me. I think, he knows, I’m his Daddy.”

“I bet he does. I guess, you want to see him more often?”

“Yeah. But I want to give Bethany some time first. I think, she’ll be happy with me taking him, once she’s back at her job.”

The therapist nods, “Sounds like a great plan.”

“Thanks.”

“What about your friend? In China.”

“I haven’t heard from him since I left. And to be honest, I’m starting to worry about him a little bit.”

“I bet, that is a bit too much.”

Ward chuckles, she has no idea. Danny is a trouble magnet. A super powered trouble magnet. He might have fought another dragon by now, for all Ward knows. But of course, he can’t tell her that.

“Yeah. Maybe.”

“So. He is important to you.”

Ward nods, “Of course, he is.”, he looks to the floor of the therapist’s office. The white wood with the blue carpet.

Mrs. Prescil sighs and looks at Ward. He can tell, that her mind is working on something right now. Ward wonders, what this is about. He wonders, what she wants to ask him now? He has talked a lot about Danny in the past. There can’t be anything new, that is still left to tell, if he is being honest.

“You like him.”, she says all of the sudden.

“Of course. He is my brother.”

“I mean, you like him in a romantic way.”

Ward can’t help himself but gasp at that, he shakes his head and jumps from the chair, “He is my brother and I’m not- I’m not gay.”

“He isn’t your brother in a biological sense. Your subconsciousness knows that, he isn’t a taboo for you.”

“I-I-I that’s not true.”

She shakes her head, “Ward. I’m here to help you. But you have to cooperate with me. I know, how you react usually, when you are denying something. And this is different from that.”

“Of course, it is. You are accusing me of having- A thing for my brother.”

Dr. Prescil shakes her head, “Okay. But are you willing to do a thought experiment with me, Ward?”

“I’m- Not sure.”

“Let’s just assume, you had feelings for Danny. What would that mean? What would be the reason for yourself to deny it?”

“Well. It’s not true.”, Ward says quickly, “I also guess, that he is my brother and if I had feelings for him, it would make it weird. Also, he’s straight. I mean, I think, he is. Davos seems like an ex. And he has this kinda girlfriend and they are ridiculously cute together. I mean, they are apart currently but I want them to get back together. And I want Danny to be happy. That’s the most important thing. And I don’t think, I can make anyone happy, if I’m being honest. But I don’t like him like that.”

“Are you sure?”

“No.”, Ward admits finally. He hasn’t lied earlier. He just hasn’t been aware a moment ago, he has needed to admit it to himself.

“That sounds rough.”

“I guess , it is. I never thought about it to be honest.”

“I’m sorry for bringing it up. But I’m here to help you about this. You pay me to help you, so I do that.I take my job seriously.”

“I know.”

“So, do you want to pursue that? A relationship with him?”

“As I said. There’s so much speaking against it. Plus, I have to figure it all out. Being a father, being there for my son.”

“That is a good step too.”

“I guess.”, Ward sighs.

“So, your son, you talked to Bethany about custody.”

“It feels to early now.”

“Does it? Or are you scared?”

“Scared, it doesn’t work?”

Dr. Prescil nods and looks down at her notepad, “Exactly that. You see, Mr. Meachum, when we know that something is difficult to archive, we tend to harmonize with not having it. It’s especially the case, when we want something really bad. It’s normal and within human nature. It can lead to happiness but not as much happiness, as there is within the things, we desire.”

“What are you trying to tell me?”, Ward asks, as he takes a sip of the water on the table. For a moment, he wishes, it was whiskey. And he hates himself for it. Bethany would be mad at him and Danny would be disappointed. He’d helped him a few times back in China. When Ward had weak days, Danny had stayed up the night talking to him,or he’d helped him with his newly regained Chi.

“I’m trying to tell you, that there is nothing to be ashamed of, if you don’t want to pursue this, you are in a difficult situation. And besides that, it is obvious, that your life would change drastically, if your friend doesn’t return your feelings. But it could also be changed for the good, if he does.”

“I know.”, Ward bites his lips, “Can we stop talking about this?”

“Does it make you feel uncomfortable?”

“Yes.”

Mrs. Prescil raises a grey eyebrow, that still has the hints of blonde, “Do you want to avoid talking to avoid the issue?”

“Yes. No. I don’t know.”

“Fine. I’ll make a  suggestion: We stop with the topic of your friend for today. I’ll give you time to consider until next week but then we talk some more?”

“Please.”; Ward lets out a sigh of relief.

“Good. Have you been sober this week?”

Ward nods, “Yeah.”, he is a bit proud of it, if he is being honest. He has been sober for some time now. Ever since he had that break down in front of Bethany, before China. Maybe, it had been Danny’s influence.

“That’s good to hear.”, the Doctor smiles.

Ward nods.

The Doctor drinks from the water, staring at Ward all the time, “How exactly does that make you feel?”

“Good.”

“Would you say confident?”

Ward nods, “Yeah. I’m proud of myself.”

“That’s good. You know, that you are lacking self confidence because of how your father treated you.”

“It all comes down to Daddy Issues doesn’t it?”

Doctor Prescil smiled amused, “You could say that.”

Ward runs a hand down his face, “That stupid son of a bitch. Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.”

Ward smiles, “I wish, that I just left town after college.It would have made things more easier, but Joy.”

“You did right. Sadly, we are gonna have to end it here for today.”

“Oh. Time flies.”

“See you next week, Mr.Meachum.”

“Thanks, Doctor.”, Ward gets up from the chair.

 

Ward thinks about the talk, as he walks down the street. He actually wants to talk to Bethany now, call her and ask to see Wendell.

But Danny. Danny is all that is on his mind right now. Ward can’t stop himself from thinking about his smile, his eyes. 

How could he not notice this until now?

He hates, that his therapist had been right. Luckily, she saved him the talk on how he used to bully Danny as a kid and call him names, because he actually liked him. Because he had these feelings for him.

Ward wishes, Danny wasn’t in China right now. He had wished that ever since he returned to New York but now, that he left the room of his therapist today, that has changed. A small part of him, wishes that he stays there a bit. Just because it would be easier for Ward.

He hates that part.

At the same time, Ward wants Danny to see his son. Know, that he has decided to name him after Danny’s father. He would probably tear up and be so happy. THe thought alone makes Ward’s heart jump up and down.

Makes his cheeks heaten up.

How could he never have noticed?

He is dumb. Eve dumber, than he ever thought. Dumber, than his Dad has ever told him he was.

Ward wonders, if his Dad knew. Knew, that Ward liked Danny maybe even then as a kid. To just think about it makes Ward sick. What if it was the reason his Dad hated Ward. What if it was a reason, he hated Danny?

What if it was a reason for the pla-?

Ward shakes his head, he can’t think into that direction right now. One of the things, he had learnt in therapy is to stop the whole guilt bullshit. It’s not so easy, when you actually are guilty.

Ward’s thoughts are interrupted,when his phone rings. He takes a quick look at the numer and sighs.

Bethany.

He answers with a simple, “Hey.”, there isn’t much else left to say between them and Ward isn’t sure, if there ever has been more.

“Ward.”, she sounds pissed.

“Did I forget anything?”

“No. No, not at all. It’s the stupid babysitter. He called in sick and I don’t want to cancel my date tonight.”

“You called a babysitter instead of me?”

“Wendell doesn’t like strangers at the moment.”

“Strangers?! He is my son!”, Ward screams and a few people at the sidewalk next to him glare at him.

He doesn’t give a shit.

“You rarley see him.”

“Who’s fault is that?”

Ward can practically hear Bethany roll her eyes, “So you wanna look after Wendell tonight or not?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Be there in two hours.”

* * *

 

Danny stares at the city, as it gets closer and closer underneath the plane. He has shaven again, cut his hair a little shorter. He feels like the person, he was, when he left. Except for the chi that is pulsing through his veins again. Stronger than ever.

He wants to visit Colleen but has to admit, that he is scared. He knows, that she is pissed, he knows her well enough to know. And if there is one thing, Danny still is scared of, it’s an angry Colleen.

He wants to visit Luke too. But he has heard things about him, shortly before he left the city and while Danny is not scared of Luke, he doesn’t know how to handle him. If what Misty told them was, or is, still true, someone needs to stop Luke. Danny knows that he is strong enough to stop Luke physically but he doesn’t want to do it that way. Doesn’t want to hurt him. Luke has to be defeated with words and reason. Not what Danny trusts himself to do right now, that he is so disheveled himself.

Danny would like to visit Davos as well. He is in prison. And Danny doesn’t want to imagine him in there. Which is also the reason, he won’t go there.

Of course there is Ward too. Ward would be the most logical person to start with. His kid must be there by now. Danny is an uncle.

But Danny is scared to bring trouble into Ward’s family. Trouble has been following him ever since he was a kid.

Still. He misses Ward. Needs him.

Danny pulls out his phone to dial Ward’s number, when he hears someone clear their throat behind them, “I knew, you’d show up.”

Danny knows the voice.

Would know her anywhere. Out of a thousand, no a billion of voices.

“Colleen?”, Danny turned around and saw her standing there, a white top, olive jacket and black leggins. Her hands on her hips, katana on her back. He hasn’t seen her in a year and yet, she looks exactly the same as back then.

“No shit.”, Colleen says, looking at him with disapproval in her eyes.

“Colleen, I-”

“You left! With a fucking letter!”

“You broke up with me, back then!”

“That was necessary.”

Danny shakes his head, “No, it wasn’t.”

Colleen grunts. She doesn’t agree with Danny but seemingly is not in a mood to fight over it right now, “Díd you find, what you were looking for?”

Danny shrugs, making his fist glow, “I found part of it. But I know, that an important part of me is still here. Has been all along. The people I love. And I’m here to finally put the fist that is meant for me and them together.”

“Great.”

Danny scoffs, “I get, that you are pissed.”

“Pissed doesn’t even begin to cover it.”

“But I had to do this. It was hard for me too. I didn’t want this. I didn’t want to break up with you in the first place.”

“I had to!”   
Danny rubbed his head, “We are moving in circles. how did you know?”

“Your pilot tolde me.”

“Of course, Dan did.”

Colleen shakes her head, “It doesn’t matter,Danny. I’m- I need some time, you know? I can’t go on and pretend this didn’t happen.”

“You came here.”

“I came here to tell you that.”, Colleen sighs, “Don’t visit me. But I’d be happy, if you want to me to come over, when I have thought this all through.”

“Yeah. I want that. And don’t worry, I need some time too.”

Colleen nods, “I want to make sure, that you have a place to stay. But I bet, Ward will be okay taking you in.”

“I don’t think so. Not right now with the kid.”

“Right.”

“You guys had no contact, since he came back?”, Danny asks.

“No.

Danny nods, he wishes for them to be friends. They got along well enough, when Danny and Colleen were dating but apparently, it hasn’t really been between them. It was more of a thing between Danny and them.

“Tell him, I said hi.”, Colleen smiles softly, “But about that place issue.”

“Colleen, I’m well off enough. I can find something, I guess.”

Colleen makes a face, “I don’t want you to be all alone in a strange apartment. With none of your stuff.”

Danny smiles, “It’s okay. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”

“This isn’t, what you make me feel.”

“I know. It was the wrong phrasing. It’s good to see you again,Col.”

“Same. I’m glad you are okay.”, Colleen smiles and turns around. Danny doesn’t follow her out of the hangar. He waits and gives her time.

It hurt. Seeing her again like this had hurt.

But he should focus on other things. Colleen was right. He needs a place to stay. He hasn’t really thought about it yet.

Danny sighs and grabs his phone for a moment, his thumb is lingering over a certain contact, the name Ward Meachum written above the number.

Danny shakes his head and dials a different number instead.

The phone rings again and again.

“Hogarth.”, Jeri eventually answers.

“Hey, it’s me.”

“Yeah, Danny. I see your number.”

Danny rolls his eyes, “Great to hear you too.”

“I’m glad you are back in the country.”, Jeri said, voice a little softer now. Danny grins at the fondness in her choice.

“How do you know?”

“Because you called me now, which means, you have service. And because I know, when a Rand jet flies home from the other side of the world.”

“There’s nothing, you don’t know, Jeri.”

“Damn right.”

Danny chuckles,”Are you better?”

“Yeah. Is that all of the reason, you are calling me?”

“I need some help.Can you find me a place to stay?”

“Sure. Where and What?”

Danny smiles. That is how he knows Jeri. She trusts him in a way. She doesn’t question his ideas and his plans. He hasn’t thought about the answer to her question though. Where does he want to stay, what kind of place does he want to live in? He has actually called to ask Jeri to find him an apartment. A place to stay permanently. But suddenly, the thought scares him.

“A hotel.”, he says quickly. That seems etter. Less scarier in a way. Less like a real big decision. 

“Oh, that narrows it down in New York.”, Jeri mutters, her voice almost dripping with sarcasm and annoyance. It is hard to believe that there was so much warmth in it just a few moments ago.

“Sorry. I’m not sure about the place. I mean, I’d like it to be somewhere close to where I used to live, but Colleen-”

“You don’t want to creep around your ex. Actually run into her, right?”, as if a switch has been turned, the warmth is there again.

“Yeah. I don’t want her to feel pressured.”, Danny bites his lips, “And I want a big place. I don’t like flashy stuff but I want it to feel like an apartment, you know? A kitchen. But it doesn’t have to be super fancy.”

Jeri sighs, “Weirdly enough, I get it. How about, I get you a nice hotel close to the Rand tower? You should be familiar with the area and you don’t risk running into your ex, while grocery shopping.”

“Sounds good.”, Danny sighs, “Thanks Jeri.”

“I’ll make some calls and send the address to your driver, once I have something. Who’s on duty for you today?”

“Shawn.”, Danny looks at the ma waiting for him in the car, cap pulled deep over his face. He likes Shawn. He’s silent but nice and sincere.

“Good.”, Jeri nods, “Anything else?”

“No. Thanks.”

“Glad, you are back.”

Danny smiles, “Thank you.”

“No problem.”

Danny shakes his head, “I mean it. It isn’t your job to do this stuff for me. I mean, I don’t know, why I called you and not Meghan.”

“I know, why. And that’s the reason, why I do that stuff for you. And not yell at you for wanting me to do secretary work.”

Danny smiles. Because he and Jeri have a special kind of relationship. Because Danny trusts her. Even, if he might be the only person left out there, that actually does. They share a connection.

“Thanks.”

“See you. You pay dinner the next time.”

“Of course.”

“Good.”, Jeri says before hanging up.

Danny grins, as he puts the phone away and into his pocket.

Actually he wants to stay with Ward or Colleen. But that isn’t a good idea right now. They both need their time.

Danny sighs, as he slams the car door shut.

He may have arrived at New York, but he was long from being at home.

 

Ward stares at the door of Bethany’s place. He is waiting for her to answer the damn thing, on the other side, he can hear Wendell screaming.

“There you are.”, Bethany opens the door, fumbling with her right earring. She looks stunning as usual. It hurts deep down in Ward’s gut but not nearly enough that he regrets not being with her.

“The kid is crying.”, Ward says. She hasn’t bothered to greet him properly, so he won’t do it either. Maybe, he is a little too proud but he doesn’t care. If BEthany decides that they are becoming that: Fine. But two can play the game.

“Oh. I haven’t noticed.”, BEthany snarks at him, “I was holding him the whole time and only let him down to get ready, okay?”

“I wasn’t being-”

Who is Ward kidding? He was being hostile. At least at bit. He is confident, that things between him and Bethany will get better. Once, the stress surrounding Wendell has calmed down, they’ll be fine.

“Don’t lie to me.”, Bethany steps aside and lets Ward in.

Her place is nice. Really nice. It looks like the kind of place, Ward would actually like to live in with his girlfriends- Or as he’s found out earlier, maybe boyfriend too. Either way, it would require a stable relationship.

“He’s had his drink for tonight.”, Bethany says, leaning against the counter, “Give him a bottle in two hours and he will be fine, until I get back.”

Ward nods and stares at his son. He’s stopped screaming now that Ward has picked him up and it’s one of the most moving things ever.

The more time, he spends with Wendell, the harder it is for him to understand, how his own father could ever hurt his son, the way he did.  Ward has been scared of that. Ever since Bethany has told him, she was pregnant, he has worried about being like his father, he never had a good father relationship. How should he build one with his son?

But for him it is different. he knows that by now.

“Hello, little man.”, Ward smiles at him.

When he looks up, he sees Bethany smiling at them too, “He’s got your eyes, you know? I have known it from the beginning but I think it is getting more and more obvious every day now.”

“Maybe.”

“It is.”

“He’s beautiful.”, Ward whispers.

“That he is.”

Ward smiles at Bethany and for a moment, it is like a scene he could have had. Something so close, he can feel it.

Bethany grabs her jacket and smiles, “See you.”

“Yeah.”

Ward watches her leave and sighs, pulling Wendell close against his chest. Maybe, it’s time to be brave again.

He’s scared.

But maybe, he should actually try to stop thinking about the things, he could have had and reach for what he wants.

He grabs Wendell tighter.

Danny.

He doesn’t know, how but Danny belongs to that life.

Ward sighs and walks around the living room, rocking Wendell gently and kissing him from time to time.

He eventually puts him down in his little bed.

“Sleep well, my little star.”

Ward loves him already. It is weird, how such a little human being can turn your life upside down from one moment to the next.

Suddenly, there is a knock at the door. Ward stills. It’s weird. Bethany shouldn’t be back for qiuete some time. And it was pretty late for a delivery or something.

Moments like these are different from how they used to be. Before resurrected fathers and mystical ninjas stepped into Ward’s life. 

Back before it, it was just some weird knock, late at night.

Now, it’s the possibility of another disaster raining down on Ward. Another situation, that will leave him completely in over his head.

Ward walks towards the kitchen and grabs the biggest knife, he can find in there. He hides it behind his back, as he walks down the hallway.

He takes a deep breath, before he opens the door.

“You!”, Ward lets the knife sink down behind his back, as he looks into Colleen’s face. She is the last person he has expected.

Maybe, that’s why he should have actually expected her.

“Yeah. Me.”, Colleen says, her voice is a lot weaker, than Ward actually knows her. She almost seems to be shy.

“What are you-”

“Can I come in?”

“Sure.”, Ward says and steps aside.

“How did you find me?”

Colleen shrugs, “I asked a few people at the office. Eventually found out, where your girlfriend lives-”

“She isn’t my girlfriend.”

“Fine.”

Ward raises an eyebrow, “Why are you here?”

“I wanted to see you after all this time.”

“I don’t buy it. You haven’t tried to visit me for months. Why now? Why when you have to search me at another person’s place.”

Colleen nods. She looks confused. Sad.

“Danny is back.”

“Oh.”, Ward mumbles, he is hurt. It hurts like hell. Danny is back in town and he hasn’t told him. 

“You don’t know.”

“No.”

Colleen sighs, “I- I don’t know what to do, Ward.”

“And why are you asking me?”

“Because you are- You know him.”

“So do you.”

“You know him better, than me.”

Ward laughs, “I don’t believe that.”

“You’ve known him, since you were kids.”

Ward sighs and looks at her. He can tell, that she is really desperate about this. If Ward is being honest, he isn’t sure, if he wants them back together. They were a cute couple. If he was being honest, painfully so.  Ward wonders, if his resentment for them to fix their issues is founded in his newly discovered feelings for Danny or in what they talked about in China most evenings. It has been almost like therapy. Both of them talking about their relationships and their abuse in the past.

Colleen had really hurt Danny, when she broke up. But Ward is sure, that it hurt Colleen the same way, when Danny decided that his training was more important, than what they had.

Deep down, Ward is sure, that it is one of Danny’s flaws. Stubbornness. He has told him, that back in Kun Lun, there has just been becoming the Iron Fist and nothing more. Just like months ago, there has just been defeating Davos.

“I’ve known him, since we were kids, but you know him better. You know post Kun Lun Danny better.”

“Post Kun Lun and pre Kun Lun Danny are still the same person.”

Ward nods, “I think, you should talk to him. Soon.”

 

Danny stares at the wall of the place Jeri got him. It’s not nearly like the dojo. Nothing comes close to the dojo. It was the first place, Danny has felt at home at, since he was ten. He shakes his head.

It’s nothing he should think about right now. It won’t help him. Thinking about what makes you sad only makes things worse. 

Danny walks over to the TV and turns it on. He can at least try to numb the pain with stupid Tv Shows. Reality bullshit, that will help him to just- Just get his mind off things. Stop thinking about what he could still have.

Suddenly, there is a knock at the door.

Danny jumps to his feet on nothing but pure instinct. He has been in this shit long enough to know to be prepared for everything.

Jeri knows, he’s here. No one else should know yet.

Not even his driver.

And the thing is: Jeri doesn’t do visits. Not unannounced at least. She is happy minding her own business.

“Who’s there?”, Danny asks, slowly walking towards the door, as he summons the chi in his hands. He still loves the warm and buzzing feeling of it, although it isn’t like an addiction anymore.

“Me.”

“Colleen?”

“Yeah.”, Danny knows that the question is stupid. Of course it’s her, he hears her voice in his sleep every night.

“Who told you-”

“Jeri.”

“Of course.”, Danny mumbles, as he opens the door.

“You should really tell your employers not to talk so much.”, Colleen smiles, “Someone might ask them questions.”

“As if Jeri would listen to what I say.”

“Fair point.”

“Why are you here now? We just talked.”

“I thought about it.”

“About us?”

Colleen sighs and steps forward, “I thought about us and I came to the conclusion, that I have no idea, what we are.”

“Me neither.”

“I mean,”, Colleen takes a shuddery breath and presses past ery breath, as she walks towards the small kitchen, “I miss us and at the same time, I feel more independent than ever.

Danny swallowed, he would be lying, if he said, that this didn't hurt.

He doesn’t try to hide it. Colleen has seen him vulnerable like this, hasn't she? She walks forward but then turns around. Like someone holding her back and stopping her. Just how Danny had stopped her.

And Danny can understand that. He had pulled her in all of this all this time ago.

He'd called her. And started it all.

“Oh.”, is all Danny can say. What should he say? He wants her back. But what should his response be?

He can't force her into anything. Doesn't want to and will never do that. So what options are there except for hoping, she'll come back one day. And if she'll come back, wouldn't that mean, that she'd feel less independent?

“And you know, what the damn problem is?”, Colleen asks.

That we aren't together anymore. Is all, Danny can think.

“That I’m not happier.”

The words his Danny with a force, he never thought was possible for a simple sentence, that was so short.

“What?”

Colleen doesn’t answer, instead, she rushes forward.

For a moment, Danny thinks, she’d try to fight him for some reason. Would try to turn this into some weird sparing lesson.

But then, Colleen wraps her arms around Danny and pushes him back against the wall with lots of force but not nearly as much, as she is capable of. Danny knows that from their sparring.

“What-?”

“Shut up!”, Colleen mumbles and kisses Danny.

It feels like rain after a century of drought.

LIke food after days of hunger.

Like warmth after wandering through snow for days.

It feels like home.

Danny still can’t believe this. And he ahs that mean voice in the back of his head, saying that Colleen will regret this. That this won’t be the start of a new relationship but instead just be the end of, what they had before. And damn that scares Danny. Because the kiss makes him realise, just how beautiful they were together. How their lips fit together, their tongues know how to spar together, just like their bodies used to spar together in the dojo. Perfect harmony.

“Colleen.”, Danny mumbles.

Colleen pulls away and looks at him, but then she kisses him again.

Danny immediately forgets what he wanted to say.

Words are stupid.

At least, they are now.

Now is just them.

Colleen pushes him against the wall harder and Danny can’t help but reach backwards and grab the curtain, that happens to just be within reach. Colleen’s kiss sparks something within him, that forces him to reach for something. Hold something.

Colleen’s tongue presses into his mouth almost aggressively. They’d never made out like this before. Sure, they’d been rough once or twice. mostly their kisses had been soft and intimate. Same went for the sex.

But here, Danny can feel the anger that must be within Colleen.

It is there because of him. He is responsible.

Colleen reaches for Danny’s shirt. On instinct, Danny pushes away a little from the wall to allow her to take it off, but Colleen pushes him back. Even harder then before. She takes both of her hands away from Danny’s hips and places them on Danny’s shirt.

With a loud sound, the fabric tears into two pieces.

“What, the-”

“Don’t say, it was expensive. If anyone can afford it, you can.”, Colleen growls her eyes dark and pointed at Danny’s chest rather than pointed at his eyes.

“And what if it is my favorite shirt?”

“I know your favorite shirt. That green one you wear so often.”, Colleen looks up and for a moment it is like before they broke up. Before they ended things. For that moment, it is all soft and affection. Then Colleen looks down and kisses Danny’s chest.

They’d done this before but they’d never done it that way.

Colleen is biting down on that soft skin, gently at first, but then she moves up towards Danny’s left nipple.

And she bites down on it.

Danny groans and his knees start to buckle, there is another tearing sound. he has no idea where it is coming from, until he hears the curtain fall to the floor next to him. He’s grabbed it so hard, that he tore it.

Colleen looks up in surprise.

“I’ll have to pay that.”, Danny mumbles.

Colleen nods and there is something in her eyes now. A certain fire. Fire, that sends sparks through Danny’s body. She likes it. Likes, that she drove Danny insane enough that he damaged a curtain.

And Danny is sure, that Colleen can see, that he sees it.

She takes a step back, finally releasing Danny. He lets out a breath, he didn’t know, he has been holding.

“To the bed. Now.”, her voice is commanding and just damn hot. Danny has heard her speak often enough like that.

With students or enemies.

But this is different. Her voice is commanding and cold but there is something else too, something seductive.

And it makes Danny even more insane.

He nods and obeys. Stumbling over his feet like an idiot, while Colleen walks elegantly ahead with a sway to her hips.

“Get off your pants.”, she says.

Danny just stares at her. She’s still dressed. He wishes, she isn’t. He wants to see her too, see her the way, he’s seen her countless times before.

“Do you hear me? Get out of your pants!”, Colleen put her hands on her hips and stares at Danny. No. Staring at is the wrong word. She’s staring him down. It feels as if Danny has to sink into the mattress.

“Right.”, Danny says quickly almost stumbling over his words.

Colleen just raises a brow. And Danny quickly reaches downward undoing the fly of his pants. He pushes them down his legs and steps out of them. He just stares at Colleen and waits for her to say more.

“Those too.”, Colleen says, gesturing at Danny’s boxer briefs. They are already tenting a little. All of this is surprisingly hot.

“O-Okay.”, Danny says again and reaches down for the hem of the boxers and pushes them down his legs as well.

Colleen has seen him countless times like this before. But now it feels like the first time. He feels excited and the slightest bit nervous and shy. Maybe, it’s the long break they had or the uncertainty of their relationship status. It might also be the way Colleen is acting. So different from usual.

“Good.”, Colleen says as soon, as the fabric touches the floor, “Now get on the bed and lay down on your back.”

Danny swallows but nods. He can feel his dick hardening further and further. This is really turning him on?   
Colleen notices it too and smiles. Surprisingly soft, before her features harden again and she turns around. For a moment, Danny thinks, she is about to undress and make a show out of it but then she opens the wardrobe.

“What are you-”

“Sh!”, she hisses and Danny obeys.

Colleen searches for something and then grabs something from deep within the drawer. A condom. She must be getting a condom. But they aren#t in there-

Colleen turns around her hands filled with fabric in various colors and with various shapes on them.

Ties.

Danny hates them. Mostly because he doesn’t really know how to use them. And also because he has no idea, what this piece of fabric hanging from his neck is supposed to accomplish.

What is she gonna do with them?

“You have no idea, have you?”, Colleen miles, as if she can read his thoughts. Danny can feel his heartbeat.

“No.”

“Stretch out your hands for me. Or do you want me to make you do it.”

Danny doesn’t move.

“Alright.”, Colleen grins, as she walks forward towards Danny ties in her hand, “I was actually hoping for this.”

With a jump, COlleen is on the bed. Stull fully closed and incredibly hot. She reaches for Danny’s hands and tries to bring them to the headboard but Danny struggles. Not as much, as he can. Just a little.

And Colleen knows that. She smirks, “Such a naughty boy.”

Danny’s breath hitches, “Really?”

“Hm.”

Danny can feel a blush creeping up his cheeks at that. THey’d never done dirty talk before and Danny has only heard the word once before. Colleen has told him about it, while she explained a lot of sex related stuff. 

She’d realised, that this was something, they had to discuss. Danny had basically gotten zero sex ed. It has been a little awkward but there was probably better to teach you about this, than your girlfriend.

“Col, are you sure about this?”

“Yeah.”, Colleen nods.

Danny smiles and looks up at her, “I missed you, while I was in China.”

“You shouldn’t have left in the first place.”, Colleen pushes Danny down into the mattress;”It was stupid.”

“No, it-”

Colleen presses her hand over Danny’s mouth. He almost bites her on instinct. Just the feeling of being restrained and having his mouth shut feels too much. 

Birch.

For a moment, Danny is in Birch. 

“Danny?”, Colleen’s voice gets him back. 

“What?”

“You were zoned out.” she reaches towards the ties.

“No! Don’t.”

“Are you sure?”, Colleen asks.

“Yeah, I need to face it. It makes a me a little uncomfortable but, I’m back now. Just don’t go further than the ties.”

“I won’t.”

Danny nods and looks up at her, “Can you, be the way, you were again?”

“What do you mean?”

“Commanding. You were playing-”

“I wasn’t playing.”

Danny nods and looks up at her, “I’m sorry-”

“I really am mad at you.”, she says, more aggressive now.

“I know.”

“Let’s just pretend, you zoning out didn’t happen.”,  Colleen says and pushes Danny back down, “If you feel uncomfortable, say red. And when I ask you, how you are and you don’t answer, I stop.”

“Safe words.”, Danny says, reciting from what he’s learned from Colleen at those early lessosn.

“Yeah.”, she smiles softly, but then shakes her head, “Now. Lick my tits”

“Right.”

Colleen stares down at Danny, the hardness back in her eyes.

Danny leans forward and kisses Colleen’s throat, with how she’s positioned and how he is tied down, he can’t reach her tits yet.

She just slowly moves upwards, allowing Danny to kiss her boobs. He sticks out his tongue and licks that nub.

“Mhm, yes.”

Danny can feel his dick hardening again. He kinda lost blood down there, when he zoned out but now it was back.

Danny smiles and takes as much of her clothed boob in his mouth, as he can. He uses his lips, closing his mouth around it without biting down. Colleen moans and throws her head back in pleasure. She arches her back in a way, that she presses into Danny’s mouth even further and with even more force to it.

Suddenly, she pulls away and stares at Danny, She leans back and rus her tits right in front of Danny’s face. Taking her nipples between two fingers and rubbing them.

“You want that?”, Colleen presses out in between moans, “You want to touch me like that? I know, you missed that.”

Danny nods but remains quiet.

“Tell me, how much you want it?”

“I want it.”, Danny says.

“Want what?”, Colleen asks, eyebrows low.

“Want to touch your tits.”

Colleen smiles at that nd leans forward, so that she just whispers into her ear, “Good, exactly what I wanted to hear.”

Colleen leans over and undoes the ties, keeping Danny cuffed to the bed. But he doesn’t dare to move.

“You look good.”, Colleen says.

Suddenly, her hard and harsh tone is replaced by softness. Softness, so familiar that it hurts Danny deep in his core.

“I’m sorry.”, Danny whispers again, “For hurting you. You hurt me too. But it was- I had no right to just leave you with a note. As I wrote back then, if I did it any other way, I wouldn’t have left. I’m a coward. And I hurt you because of it.”

“Danny. Not now.”

“I-’m-”

“Sh!”, Colleen mumbles, “It’s okay.”

She smiles once, before she reaches for the hem of her top and pulls it off. There are wet stains on it, where Danny had it in his mouth earlier.

Danny takes the time to savor it. Her beautiful flawless skin in the dim light coming from outside of the windows, he hair running down her shoulders like a black waterfall and her dark eyes looking at him with unconcealed lust.

Colleen smiles, unclasping her bra and tossing it away. Quickly, she sits up and gives herself enough space to toss her ants away too.

She’s just sitting there in pretty lace panties now, staring down at Danny.

“You look so good.”, Danny whispers.

“I know.”, Colleen uts a hand on her black antie. ut these are gonna stay on a little more,” I know, you want them off but patience is a virtue.”

“I know.”

Colleen nods.

Danny reaches up fro her very slow. He isn’t sure, if she is okay with him touching her like that. 

Not in general and especially not under the rules, they are playing tonight.

“It’s okay.”, Colleen nods.

Slowly, Danny cups her cheeks and leans up to kiss her.

She leans down the slightest it and immediately takes control. She presses Danny back into the mattress once more.

Danny wraps his arms around her and presses her against his chest. She is warm and soft, just as he remembers her.

Colleen kisses Danny for a bit. She keeps the upper hand, sliding her tongue in and out of his mouth every now and then. It’s enough to drive Danny crazy. Then Colleen sits up again, she hooks a finger under the hem of her pantie and pulls the whole thing down her ridiculously long legs.

“Hey.”, Colleen mumbles, as she sits down on Danny’s chest.

“Hey.”

Colleen smiles at that and reaches over to grab a condom from the nightstand, she quickly tears it open and shifts back.

She shifts a little until she can comfortably wrap the condom around Danny’s dick without any problems.

Danny shudders a little at the sensation. It has been a while since someone else has touched him down there.

“Is this good?”

“Yeah.”

Colleen grins and hovers her pussy over Danny’s dick. She takes her time but eventually, she sinks down on it.

Danny hisses, as his the tip of his dick is sliding into her. It feels good. It feels like before and Danny loves that.

Colleen throws her head back, as she sinks down inch after inch. She pushes Danny down into the bed strong. And he won’t stop her from doing so.

“Yes!”, Colleen moans loud enough,that Danny wonders about neighbors, before he remembers, that he’s in a penthouse.

“Hm.”, Danny grunts, as he thrusts up into Colleen. He’s finally bottomed out. Colleen is just rolling her hips, as she adjusts to him.

“Mhm.”, Colleen hums.

“Mhm, indeed.”

Colleen grins and bucks her hips.

“Oh!”, Danny smiled and looked up, “I like that.”

Colleen grins. There is this beautiful feeling. Warmth. And also the sound of lovemaking. The slick sound of Danny sliding in and out of Colleen.

“Mhm.”

It’s just a matter of minutes of gently rubbing until Colleen is jumping up and down on his dick, her tits bouncing.

She gives Danny a more or less gentle slap on the chest.

“Colleen, I’m close.”, Danny mumbles and grabs the sheets. He needs to try and keep his mind in check.

Mind over matter, right?”

“I don’t want you to come yet.”

“I can’t control it-”

“Not now!”, Colleen commands.

Danny nods, “Yeah.”, if he is being honest, this is turning him on even more.

“You better listen to me!”

“I will, my queen.”

Colleen smiles at that, “Damn right.”

She reaches down in between them and shoves her hand down her stomach. Danny gasps, as  Colleen starts to play with herself down there.

“I want to come before you.”, Colleen says, her eyes closed as she rubs herself with Danny still inside of her.

Danny nods. He’ll try his best. He thrusts up a little but in a way, that doesn’t hit his sweet spot but hopefully helps Colleen to rub herself of.

It actually helps, Colleen closes her eyes and starts to moan louder, “Yes, right there! Yes, Danny! Exactly like this!”

Danny tries his best to hold back. He just needs a few moments, until Colleen comes. Just a few moments.

Suddenly, he feels Colleen tighten around him, “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

Danny grips the sheet and closes his eyes. Seeing Colleen like that will just make it harder for him not to come immediately.

“You can come now.”, Colleen says after a little while and Danny can feel her hand coming up to his face. 

He can smell her wetness down there. Colleen hooks a finger under Danny’s lip and lets it pop. Danny comes into the condom, the moment, he tastes her. He thrusts upwards and meets her there.

It all feels familiar.

And way too good to be true.

* * *

 

When Danny wakes up, Colleen has left him. It shouldn’t surprise him really, but it still kinda does. He knows, they aren’t in a good place. But he has at least hoped that she would stay and that they can discuss this in the morning.

It hurts. 

It hurts in the same way, it has probably hurt her back then, when he left her with the letter and nothing else.

At least, Danny feels ready to face Ward now.

If he figured things out with Colleen, he could figure them out with Ward too. Although, he isn’t sure, if he can call this figuring it out.

But he kinda wants to meet Ward’s kid and he misses Ward. And just facing Colleen has been the worst thing anyway.

Danny gets up from the bed and grabs his phone, dialing Ward’s number.

“Hey.”, Ward answered.

“It’s me.”

“Yeah, i saw th caller ID:”

Danny huffs, “Right.”

“It’s been some time.”, Ward says and there is some sadness in his voice.

“I had no cho-”

“I know.”

“I wanted to ask, how your kid is? How you and Bethany are? Man, I want to know how you are.”

“Kid is good, Bethany and I aren’t. I’m okay.”

Danny sighs, “You are angry at me.”

“Yeah. No shit.”

“I thought we were-”, Danny rubs his head, “Meet me in two hours at Josie’s.”

Ward sighs and there is a long pause. For a moment, Danny believes, that he won’t agree to this or worse. That Ward is just gonna hang up without saying anything.

“Fine.”

Danny smiles, “Good.”

“Don’t be late.”

“I won’t.”

After Ward hung up, Danny takes some time to look around the room. Now, that he is fully awake, the thought that Colleen might have left him a note or something has occurred to him, it’s just a thought. But it gives him hope.

But sadly, there is nothing.

Not a single trace of her.

Maybe, Danny has just imagined it. Maybe he got wasted for the first time in his life and actually fantasised this.

Maybe Colleen is still avoiding him, as much, as Danny is avoiding her. 

The thought is scary. But for now, there is no way of knowing, if it’s a real theory. Danny has had hallucinations before.

Danny sighs and sits down on the kitchen table. Just now, he realises, how hungry he is, it’s gotten worse, since he got the iron fist back. He gets hungry so damn fast. Colleen used to make fun of him. He wonders, if she’s also this hungry now.

Danny strolls over to the fridge. It’s mostly empty, all that’s in there is a bag with a sandwich he bought yesterday. 

But the bag is empty.

Except for-

There it is. A tiny note.

_ You owe me a dozen of these from the old days _

_ -C _

Danny smiles. Not an imagination at least.

He reaches out and takes the note. Imagines, how she wrote that earlier. The sandwich in one hand, and the pen in the other.

He wonders, if she smiled doing so. If she thought about him and if that made her smile, because he kinda wishes, that was the case.

_ Grmmm. _

Danny looks up from the note.

His stomach is grumbling.

Right. Food.

He sighs and crumbles the note into a little ball, before stuffing it into his pockets, he’s gonna keep that.

Danny grabs his keys and jogs out of the door, closing it behind him. He wonders, where Colleen went earlier.

He has all of her favorite places mapped out in his head. But he won’t go there. She wants to be alone and that is cool.

Because there is hope, that they’ll get back together.

He can feel it.

And for now, he has to fix his relationship with Ward. He needs to get his shit together and make peace with the two people, he loves most.

* * *

 

Ward is nervous, when he walks into the bar. Josie is some place, Danny has only started to visit shortly before they left the country.

Pretty soon after he teamed up with these other heroes. It used to be the favorite place of one of them. Daredevil, if Ward isn’t mistaken. Danny has admired him. Still does. So he and Colleen tried Josie’s and decided to stick with it.

It isn’t Ward’s usual place to hang out. He’s grown up with fancier places. While he has outgrown his past in a lot of ways, it isn’t always that easy. Ward still likes expensive bars with minimalistic designs. But he’s a lot more open minded.

That being said, the bar isn’t, why Ward is nervous.

It’s Danny.

Of course, it is Danny. 

Ward isn’t even sure, if it is because of his feelings or because of the situation in general, because he hasn’t seen Danny in a long time.

“Can I get you something, honey?”, the woman behind the counter asks and looks at Ward with a raised brow.

“I’m waiting for a friend.”

“She’s a lucky girl.”

“It isn’t a girl.”

“Lucky guy.”

Ward smiles, “And it isn’t like that.” Not that he doesn’t want it to be like that. Not that he doesn’t want him and Danny to be that.

“Sure, sure.”, the woman says and looks at the glass in her hand, “can I get you something, while you’re waiting for him?”

“No. I’ll just- I’ll wait for him.”, Ward walks over towards a small table in the back. He likes it more than he likes the counter of the bar right now. It’s more intimate and a lot more private, than that.

“Okay, honey.”, the woman says from the bar and smiles at Ward. She has to scream through the whole bar but doesn’t mind. It’s right at noon anyway. Barely anyone is here right now.

Ward sighs and checks his phone.

He checks, if Danny has cancelled their meeting. There are no new messages so apparently, it’s still a go.

Ward isn’t sure, what he is opening for.

Suddenly, the door opened and Ward looks up.

Danny is standing there. Looking as good, as ever. His hair a little ruffled up, his clothes casual and his smile already lighting up the room.

“Hey.”, Danny smiles.

“Good to see you.”, Ward gets up from the chair and hugs him.

“Good to see you too. You look good.”

Ward blushes a little. Hopefully, not enough for Danny to notice. He’s said this more than often enough.

And it has never made Ward feel that way.

“You too.”, Ward finally says.

Danny grins and sits down on the chair, “It’s good, you made it.”

“Yeah. This place, is- Something.”

“I know. S your kid?”

“He is fine.”

Danny smiles and nods, looking down at the table, “I’m glad he is. And you look happier. You know, settled?”

“Yeah.”, Ward smiles.

The woman from the bar raises her voice and talks to them, “Can I get you anything?”

“A beer.”, Danny says and smiles friendly.

“Just water for me.”, Ward says quickly.

“Just water.”, the woman mutters with bitterness in her voice. Danny frowns at that but then looks back at Ward.

“I’m glad,we could meet.”

“Yeah. Me too.”, Danny nods.

“Listen, there’s something, I have to tell you.”, Ward starts, he’s wringing his hands together at the words.

“Oh. What would that be?”

“My son. Bethany, she let me chose the name. I tried to come up with something meaningful and, all I could think about was the name Wendell.”

Emotions play all across Danny’s face. Surprise, Sadness, Joy, Bashfulness. It’s what Ward was secretly hoping for.

It moves him.

“Wow.”

“Yeah. I hope,you like it.”

“It’s perfect.”, Danny smiles and blushes, “I can’t wait to meet him. I mean, not just because of the name. I couldn’t wait for that before.”

“I know.”

Danny smiles, “It’s so cute.”

“He is adorable. Do you want to see pictures?”

“You have them?”

Ward laughs, “Of course, I have pictures of my son on my phone.”

“Right.”

“It’s okay. It’s not like I had a father who cared. And you had a lot of other things going on in your childhood.”

Danny nods and leans over the table.

Ward pulls up the phone, as the woman puts the glasses on the table.

“Thanks.”, Danny mumbles, his eyes remaining glued to the phone, while Ward searches for his children’s pictures.

“There he is.”, Ward pulls up an adorable picture of Wendell in the bathtub.

“He’s beautiful.”

“Isn’t he?”, Ward asks.

“He looks like you.”

Ward smiles, his heart racing, “Did you just call me beautiful?”

“Maybe. There’s nothing wrong with that.”, Danny says and shrugs.

“There isn’t. i mean, I’m not arrogant, but I don’t mind guys calling other guys beautiful, you know?”

“Yeah.”

Ward quickly puts his phone away.

Change the topic.

“So how is being back here?”

Danny smiles, “Oh it’s- I liked China to be honest. But I missed New york too. Although, I guess, it’s mostly the people. You, Colleen, Jeri, Luke.”

Ward nods, “Well, they missed you too.”

“I know, that it is not true for all of them. At least for Luke.”

“Yeah, it’s weird.”, Ward nods and sighs, “But I think, Luke needs to figure this out himself. I mean Claire and he broke up, right?”

“Yeah.”

“This can make a man go insane.”

Danny huffs, “I don’t think a break up makes all the people run a crime hotspot, but okay. I mean, if you think so.”

“I didn’t mean that, idiot.”, Ward grins.

“I’m just disappointed in Luke. But speaking of break ups. Colleen and I might be back together. I mean. I’m not so sure.”

“Sounds ominous.”

“Well, I don’t wanna go into details.”, Danny grins and looks at his drink. He blushes a little, which is cute.

“Ah.”, Ward nudges him in the side. But he isn’t really feeling the laugh. He likes Danny and Colleen together but he is also jealous of her.

“Can we- Can we talk some more about how you’ve been?”

“There isn’t much to talk about.”

“What about Rand?”, Danny asks and leans back in his chair. The red is still a little in his cheeks.

“You really wanna talk about business now?”

“Why not?”

Ward shakes his head, “I don’t know. If you insist, let’s talk business.”

“Great. I mean, I don’t know so much about that stuff, but maybe, I’ll have time to get more invested into things now.”, Danny smiles.

“Sales are going up, at the same time our marketing costs are skyrocketing though. It’s due to a big campaign, we are running. And we changed our source for oil. We don’t import from Arabia and made a contract with Norway instead. More expensive but lesser blood on the money.”

“I already regret asking about business.”

Ward grins, “See, I know you.”

“But trying to import more ethically sounds nice. I mean, it’s something, I would do, so I’m kinda surprised we actually do that now.”

“Not we. It was on my initiative.”

“Oh. Are you in a lot of trouble.”

“Not really.”

“Good.”, Danny smiles, “Thanks.”

“I feel better about that too.”, Ward shrugs, “So no problem.”

“Still.”, Danny smiles at him, “But st´peaking of business. Jeri called me, before I arrived.”

“Oh.”

“She wants me at the office in thirty minutes.”

“No problem. I mean, we can see each other soon.”

“I’d like that.”, Danny gets up from the chair.

Ward does the same, “me too, man. Glad to have you back in New york.”

Danny smiles, “Glad to be back in New York with you.”

Ward isn’t sure, what drives him to do this. He just stares at Danny and leans forward, putting a hand on his cheek and pulling him in for a kiss. It’s weird. Danny reacts shocked, Ward can tell but he isn’t gripping him tight. He could pull away anytime.

To his surprise, Danny does the opposite. He kisses Ward ack with lots of tongue and as much desire.

Then, he pulls away.

“Sorry.”, Ward mumbles quickly, “I have to leave.”

“Wait!”, Danny says but Ward ignores him and slams the door of the ar shut behind him. There’s a cab waiting a little down the street and Ward snitches it from some guy, calling someone from his phone. He doesn’t care about the insults from him. He flashes a two hundred dollar bill and the cabbie starts the engine.

He’s ruined it. Danny was about to get back together with Colleen and he panicked. He wanted to explore on the feelings.

He should have focused on getting Danny and Colleen back together, instead of being an egotistical jerk.

And besides that. How shall he ever face Danny again? How can they ever be normal, with the kiss?

Yeah, Danny has responded y kissing him back but that might have been instinct or politeness.

What if he is scared now?

If it was just the moment?

Ward sinks back into his seat. He’s made things worse. A whole lot worse. It is probably the best move to call his therapist. Get an appointment. Maybe, she has an idea, what to do, because the best thing Ward can come up with is leaving the country.

He knows, there’s probably a better solution but if he is being honest his head can’t come up with one right now.

He reaches for his phone, planning to call his therapist, when he sees another number in his contacts.

“Colleen.”, he mumbles.

He can try to make it right. He better make this right.

Ward dials Colleen’s number. But already has his doubts. What is he supposed to say to her? 

_ Hey, I kissed your Ex. Or not ex, whatever you guys are. _

“Ward?”

It’s already too late, she has picked up.

“Uh, hey.”

“Why are you calling me?”, Colleen says, her voice harsh. There’s the sound of a hospital in the background.

“Are you okay?”

“Working a lead.”

“Ah. it’s about Danny. My call, I mean.”

“I know. What else would it be.”

Ward sighs, “There’s something, I did.”

“And?”

“I kissed him.”

 

Danny turns the key in the lock to his place for now. He’s just come back from the office. It is weird. He’s never cared about the work before. It is just, whenever he’s not sure, what to do, when he has interest.

It’s the lights, that irritate him. They are on which is odd. When Danny left this morning, it has been bright day.

Danny tenses but then he sees the familiar jacket at the hook. Colleen’s. The one, she wore, when they first meet. While she was putting up posters for the dojo. 

Maybe she’s just forgotten it this morning.

“Colleen?”

“I’m here.”,  the voice comes from the dining room and Danny’s heart jumps from joy. She’s here.

“Why are you?”

“I’m not alone.”

Danny blinks and finally walks around the corner into the dining room.

Ward is sitting there opposite of Colleen. For a moment Danny is just confused. Then he knows it.

He knows, that she knows.

“Hey.”, Danny says silently.

“Ward- Ward called me.”, Colleen says and looks down at the table.

Danny just stares. He isn’t sure, what to make of this. Is he supposed to be scared? He’s nervous but he loves both of these people and he would have hated to keep a secret from them.

“Oh.”

“I had to tell her.”

Colleen looks at Danny, “I’m not mad.”

Danny nods and remains silent. He’s out of words.

“I mean, we aren’t really dating currently. I guess.”, Colleen shrugs, “But I wanted to talk to Ward because to be honest: I want to be with you again. And it turned out, Ward kinda wants to be with you too.”

Danny swallows and nods, he kinda feels the same.

“So, I had this idea. Why don’t we all try?”

“What do you mean?”, Danny asks.

Ward gets up from his chair, “I mean, Colleen, you and I. I like Colleen too and she likes me, so we could make this work.”

“I mean, if you want.”, Colleen says.

Danny just stares, what is he supposed to say? This is too perfect. There has to be some sort of cath.

“We want to try this. If you want it too.”

“Yes.”, Danny nods.

Ward smiles and offers Danny his hand.Danny doesn’t hesitate to take it. He squeeze it, before he leans in for the kiss.

This time, Ward kisses more demanding. That alone is exciting enough but then he feels Colleen kiss his neck from behind.

They are really together.

The three of them.

It’s like a dream.

It’s perfect.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
